Heating system for incubators.



G. S. BRYANT. HEATING SYSTEM FOR mcunmons.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 19

Patented Jan.23,1912.

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5W/77VESSE ill UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE COURTNEY S. BRYANT, OF GREENE, NEW' YORK.

rinarrn e srsrma non incuna'rons.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, COURTNEY S. BRYANT, a citizen of the United Greene, in the county of Chenango and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Heating Systems for Incubators, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to incubators, and particularly to incubators of the multiple section or multiple compartment type which are so constructed and arranged that one section may be operated alone or that two or more" sections may be operated simultaneously. Incubators of this general type have recently come into quite extensive use, but

in their operation difficulties have been en-.

countered particularly in the matter of maintaining the desired temperature in each of the compartments.

y controlling the temperature hitherto employed irregularities in the temperature .of some or of all of the compartments have been liable to occur, such irregularities being due, for the most part, either to excessive circulation through the heating coils of a heating fluid which has been raised to a comparatively high temperature, or to de; ficient circulation of the heating fluid when its temperature has been comparatively low. In either case, of course, the effect is injury to the hatch, and a multiple compartment incubator in 'yvhi -h irregularities of this sort are liable to occur requires almost as much attention as a plurality of separate incu haters and the danger of destroying a large number of eggs at one time is obviously greater.

An object of this invention. is to provide a multiple compartment incubator having improved means for maintaining at the required temperature each of the compartments.

A further object of the invention is to provide anincubator of this type in which the danger of accidental injury to the hatch, through carelessness, will be reduced to a minimum.

To this end the invention aims to provide means for controlling both the heating fluid and its eaautomatic temperature of the States, residing at most systems of supplying heat and Specification of Letters Patent.

'ondary Patented. Jan. 23, 1912.

Application died March '11, 1910. Serial No. 548,603. M REISSUED culation in such manner that overheating of the fluid before it reaches the compartment radiatorsmay be avoided and that the circulation of the fluid through the compartment coils, or other radiating means, may be accurately gaged to meet the requirements of each compartment.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the compartments, for convenience, are arranged in horizontal lines and it will be readily understood that with this arrangement the provision of automatic heat regulating means which. may be depended upon is especially important Preferably a single heater is employed and from this runs a main, or primary, circulating system for the heating fluid, comprising, preferably, an outgoing fluid conductor lying in a plane above the compartments and a re-' turn conductor'lying in a plane below the compartments. The compartment radiators, preferably in the form of coils and sometimes hereinafter referred to as sec circulating systems, are independ ently connected to the outgoing and return conductors, or, to adopt electrical parlance, the compartment radiators are connected in parallel.

In order that the temperature of the heating fluid may be substantially the same throughout the outgoing conductor, the main, or primary, circulation is preferably completed by a free connection between the out-going and return c nductors which is independent of the connections through the radiating coils. To maintain a substantial uniformity of the temperature of the heating fluid as it enters the radiating coils and thereby avoid accidents heating or underheating, the temperature of this fluid, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, is thermostatically controlled by means of a thermostat located, preferably, in the outgoing conductor.

The temperature'of each compartment, in the preferred embodiment, is regulated by a due either to overthermostatic control of the heating fluid through the radiating coils, the thermostat being located in the compartment and arranged to control a valve in the connection between the radiating coils and the main circulating system.

Important features of the invention arethe improved means for controlling the temperature of the main circulation and the imof the following description and claims in culation of theheating fluid through the I especially 7 ments are preferabl pipe 26 extending above the level of the heating fluid in the main circulating system and a horizontal pipe 28 extending between a T-joint in the outgoing conductor 16 and a T-joint'in the vertical pipe 26 and serving to conduct the heating fluid from said outgoing conductor into the vertical pipe 26 and thereby into the compartment radiator. Below the T-joint in thevertical pipe 26 is a valve seat 30 for a valve cone and suspended by its apex by a cord 34 connected to one arm of a counterbalanced lever 36 fulcrumed upon astandard 38 mounted upon the top of the housing 10. The valve seat 30 is transversely rounded, thereby permitting the cone 32 to seat itself easily and tightly, the transverse rounding of the seat in combination with a conical valve also providing a construction in which sticking of the valve in its seat is avoided. The "alve construction is an important feature of the invention since it: insures substantially positive control of the circulation through the compartment radiator and, therefore, when operated from a thermostat in the compartment insures substantially uniform temperature of the compartment.

The thermostat for controlling the compartment temperature may be of any suitproved means] for regulating the, circulation of the heating fluid through the radiatlng coils.

Other features and objects of the invention will .be apparent uponconsideration connection with the accompanying drawings inwhich'r Figure l is a perspective view of a multiple: compartment incubator embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross section showing the details ofvconstructi'on of the, means for controlling the circulation of the heating fluid through the compartment coils and'the arrangement of these coils, and Fig. 3 is a sectional detail showing the arrangement of the thermostat for controlling the temperature of the main circulation. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail showing the transversely rounded;construction of the valve seat) .As hereinabove suggested, the compartyarranged in a horizontal line, or in horizontal lines, and in the illustratetl' embodiment of the invention the compartments are formed in a. housing 10 supported up'oii'legs 12, therebeing, as herein shown, two rows of compartments arrangedback to back. The rows may obviously consist of any desired number of compartments. Moreover it will be understood that the rows of compartments may be arranged in tiers, as well as back to back, or that these two arrangements may be com-v bined-without going outside the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 4

The heating fluid employed is preferably water and this may be heated in any suitable heater 14. Connected to the heater is the maincirculating system which comprises an outgoing conductor 16 and a return conductor-18, these two conductors being connected at their outer ends by a vertical connection 20, preferably of the. same cross section, whereby a free circulation of the Water throu h the main circulating system is per.- mitte The compartment circulating systems, or compartment radiators, comprise each an overhead coil 22 which is continuous with the lateral'coil24, the latter coil insuring proper heatin the corners of the compartment and the overhead coil insuring proper heat in the middle of the compartment. The compartment radiators are connected at their respective termini to the 'outgoi-n and from any eonveni'entoverhead support. As return conductors of the main circu atin herein shown the sleeve 01'- box 52 is the system whereby a circulation of the heat-g- 1" ing fluid through said radiators is insured.

To provide for proper control of the cir- 40,'herein shown, being connected by a rod 42 to the lever 36 in such manner that when the temperatiu'e in the compartment rises it tends to close the valve in the pipe 26 and out down the liow of the water from the outgoing conductor 16 into the compartment radiator.

To further insure stability of the compartment temperature means is provided for regulating the temperature of the Water in the main circulation. The illustrated means, which constitutes an important feature of the invention, comprises a thermostat 44 located in the outgoing conductor 16 and arranged to control a check damper 46 by which more or less cold air is admitted to the drum 48 of the heater 14. To receive the thermostat 44 the conductor 16 is out down at 50 about one half its diameter and a sleeve or box 52 surrounds and covers this cut away portion, this sleeve or box being provided upon its upper side with an opening througlrwhich passes arod 54 connected at one end. to the thermostat 44 a-ndat its other end one arm of a counterbalanced lever 56 fu crumed in a yoke 58 suspended compartment circulating systems the connection between each compartment radiator and 56, the leverage, being so arranged that a the outgoing conductor comprises a vertical small movement in the thermostat will pro- 32, formed as a true able or usual construction, the thermostat 1 culating' systems,

Y tant features of the invention and, in addi to, disturb, the circulation of the water} there duce a comparatively large movement of the damper do.

It will be noted that the described means for controlling the temperature of the water in the main circulation'isvery simple and very eiiicient and that it is so constructed and arranged that it is not influenced by va'riationsin pressure of any kind, It will he noted further that the main circulating system is free from complexities which tend through, that the outgoing and ret r iit QbD-I ductors are so arranged that a clearudiiierential in temperatures readily establishes itself between them and, once established, remains established, and that the compartment circulatingsystems, or secondary cir.

are so arrangcdas to take of the differential between the outgoing a (1 return conductors. 7

As above suggested, he construction and, arrangement of the valve constitute impor-' full advantage tion to the advantages-of theillustrated construction, above pointed out, it may be noted that the arrangement of the cone 32 so that it moves to open position in the direction of themovement of the heating fluid through. the compartment system is important since it prevents the accumulation of dirt or other sediment on-the valveseat to interfere with the seating of the valve. The transverse rounding of the valve seat 30lisalso important, as above suggested, since thereby the contact surfaces are reduced to a minimum. and seating iseasily e'flected and sticking avoided. 1

Having described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. An incubator comprising, in combination, a plurality of compartments arranged horizontally, a main circulating system for the heating fluid comprising an outgoing conductor lying in a plane above the compartments and a return conductor having at. all times free communication with the outgoing conductor and lying in a plane below the compartments, compartment circulating systems each communicating at its respective termini with the outgoing and return conductors, means for automatically controlling the temperature of the heating fluid in the main circulating system and means for automatically and independently controlling the circulation of the heating fluid through each of the compartment circulating systems.

2. Au incubator comprising, in combination, a main circulating system for the heating fluid, a compartment circulating system communicating with the main circulating system, means for automatically controlling the temperature of the fluid in the main cira valve centrally suspended in the communication between the maincirculatmg system, and the compartment circulating system and gravitating to open position in the direction of flow. of the heating fluidnthrough said compartment system, a thermostat 1n the compartment and operative connections between said valve and said thermostat wherebya rise in temperature in the compartment effects a positive movement of said. valve against the flow of the fluid toward closed position. 3-. An incubator comprising, iircombination, a main circulating system for the heating fluid, a compartment circulating system communicating with "the main circulating system, means for automatically controlling the temperature of the fluid: in -'the main' cir culating system, a valve int-hecommunic'a' tion between said circulating, systems com prising a true cone arranged to move to open position in thedirection of flow of, the heat ing'fl'uid through said compartment system, a transversely rounded seat for said valve, and thermostatic means for controlling the movements of said valve in. accordance with variations in the temperature of the com partment.

4. An incubator comprising, in combina tion, acompartment, fluid heating means, a main circulating system for the heating fluid comprising an outgoing conductor arranged.

above-the compartment and a return conductor arranged below the compartment, a comrculatlng system communicating partment ci at its respective ends with the outgoing and return conductors, the communication be tween the outgoing conductor and compartment system comprising a vertical open upper end of which is above the level of the heating fluid in the main circulating system, a conical valve suspended by its apex in said pipe below the point at which the heating fluid is introduced, a valve seat above said valve and thermostatic means for controlling the movements of said valve in accordance with the variations, of the temperature in said compartment.

5. An incubator comprising, in combina tion, two rows of compartments arranged in horizontal lines,

means, a main circulating system for the heating fluid comprisingan outgoing conductorlextending along a median line above the rows, 21 return conductor in substantially a similar location below the rows and means providing free communication between the outer ends of said conductors, compartment circulating systems each communicating at its respective ends with the outgoing and return conductors, thermostatic means maintaining at substantial uniformity-the temperature of the heating fluid inthe out going conductor, a valve n the communication between the putgoing conductor and below said point, and

forv

pipe, the

back to back, fluid heating each compartment system and a thermostat -1n each compartment operatively connected with the appropriate valve to control the circulation of the heating fluid through the compartment system in such manner that the temperature of the compartment is maintained at substantial uniformity.

6.. An incubator having, in combination .'a main circulating system for the heating 'eemprisingfa c'one suspended by .wi'th which the to engage.

fluid, a compartment circulating system communicating with themain circulating system, means for automatically controlling the temperature of the fluid in the main circulation, and a thermostatically controlled valve in the communication between the main system and the compartment system, said valve its apex to move to open position in the direction of vmovement ofthe'fiuid throughthe compart- 9 ment system. and a transversely rounded seat side of said cone is adapted 7; In an incubator, a main circulating system comprising an outgoing conductor "and a return conductor having at all times free communication with each other, a therflow of the'fiuid toward seating position as the temperature in the compartments 1ncreases.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the two subscribing witnesses.

COURTNEY 8. BR YAN'I.

Witnesses: GEORGE W. Lnnnnnson,

' Jesse E. BAXTE'R.

presence of and its respective valve for positively moving said valves against the 

